Category Archives: Football

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week 0

Football, Gaming

Before diving in with this week’s winners, I feel compelled to advise I simply cannot get my hands around either the concept or the designation “Week 0?”

Who came up with this strange moniker for this opening college football weekend? Some ESPN assistant producer’s kindergartner?

Even the Google can’t give an answer.

“Ice Station Zero.” Now that makes sense. The rescue mission ’68 flick featured not only Rock Hudson and Ernest Borgnine, but also the GOAT Jim Brown. Who was then only 32 years old and retired from the NFL yet could still crush Dick Butkus.

(Since I’ve been corrected by an eagle eyed reader, advising that the film’s actual title is “Ice Station Zebra,” thereby undermining my shtick, allow me this addendum.) “Less than Zero” Now that makes sense. The cinema version of too much drugs among the rich and famous in Hollywoodland.

“Zero Sum” I also understand. Or, think I do. Though please don’t ask for an explanation. I’m not the greatest at arithmetic.

“Love Minus Zero/ No Limit.” It’s 60’s Dylan fawning over his bride Sara during his finest years of wordsmithery. Thinking about that title for a second allows it to come clear. Somewhat.

But Week 0. Weak.

Anyway, what the arrival of, ahem, Week 0 means is there’s college football to be viewed.

As for that Saturday evening dinner engagement your significant other is planning with the new neighbors. Fuhgettaboutit.

All of which means the triumphant, heralded return of the highly analytical, insanely accurate, vigorously heralded, most intensely dissected, and sooner or later award winning college football predictioneering on the interweb: Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostication. Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week 0 →

Seedy K’s Peerless Preseason Pigskin Prognostications: Final Four

Football

Yeah, that’s right, my fellow chinstrappers, it’s time to thaw out the brats and get ready for some pigskin. Week 0 is upon us.

(And, whether you like Johnsonville or Usinger’s or some other Best in Brats wannabe, my go to guy when it comes to processed oink in a tube — that would be Badger Billy — advises to feed those to your schnauzer, even if his name is Johnny U. The only way to go, says he, is Miesfeld’s in Sheboygan. That’s in Wisconsin. But they ship. Just sayin’. Either you care or you don’t.)

So much for tailgating advice.

Here’s what ‘s going to happen inside the stadia.

The probability of Clemson and Alabama meeting in the Final Four for the fourth year in a row is pretty much a given, but does not faze me one iota. I first became aware of baseball in the early 50s as a youth, and my dad had to explain to me why the Giants and Indians contested the Series in ’54. I thought the Dodgers and Yankees just played in it every year. Like, you know, Clemson and Alabama.

So I’m almost a bit excited for Swinney vs. Saban, Part Quatre. Though I would be even more pleased to see some upstart come from out of the blue to dazzle the pigskin planet next January.

So, to maintain even a modicum of props, to underscore that I have at least partially a clue what I’m talking about, I’m predicting the Tide and Tigers will perform as expected and make it to the semis. I learned my lesson. Mea culpa. I’m sure none of you remember that I didn’t pick Alabama last year, giving way too much weight to coaching changeover and untested secondary in Tuscaloosa.

Burned once, shame on me burned twice etc, etc, etc.

Anyway, here are the four teams that will have our attention after we’ve savored the hors d’oeuvres of the First Responder Bowl, Gasparilla Bowl and Quick Lane Bowl. Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Preseason Pigskin Prognostications: Final Four →

U of L Football Media Day Musings

Football,

Last week, as one is too often wont to do with a bit of idle time on his/her hands, I found myself surfing aimlessly across the Google.

I arrived at a light bulb moment of sorts after hangin’ ten from a B/W video of Nina
Simone’s simmering “Sinnerman” to an illuminating video comparison of Jackie Chan’s exemplary work in Asian films with his lesser American movies, ending up somehow at a highlight reel of what is generally regarded as the college pigskin equivalent of Chaminade over Ralph Sampson and UVa.

Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32. In the Big House. In the first game ever televised on the BTN.

New Louisville Cardinal coach Scott Satterfied mentored the QBs on that overachieving Mountaineer squad. On App State’s first score, their southpaw signal caller found a wideout in a hole in the Maize and Blue zone. He then blew past several Wolverine DBs who thought they had him cornered, and crossed the goal line for six.

What immediately popped into my mind was this name: Tutu Atwell, U of L’s seriously speedy wideout. Continue reading U of L Football Media Day Musings →

Wednesday Seedy KO’s: Nwora, Network, Coach Nowhere to be Found ++

Baseball, Basketball, Football, ,

So, I’m at the cable store the other day, getting a box that fritzed changed out.

As the no fuss transaction is almost done, I ask my friendly, very helpful clerk Taylor, “Do you know if Spectrum is going to be carrying the ACC Network or not?”

At which point she looks up, smiles, then starts laughing, as does the clerk taking care of the customer next to me.

“I guess I’m not the first to ask, huh?”

Taylor: “Every day.”

The clerk next to her: “Every single day. Every single customer.”

Of course, neither had the answer, but it’s impossible to conceive that it won’t be carried since Louisville is the biggest college basketball market in the country, and has been for a number of years now.

But, an announcement would be nice.

 * * * * *

I used the occasion of spending last weekend at The Jim, covering U of L baseball in the NCAA Regional, to chat up other media heads to see if anybody had tried to track Bobby Petrino down for any comments the former U of L football coach might wish to share about last season and his departure? Continue reading Wednesday Seedy KO’s: Nwora, Network, Coach Nowhere to be Found ++ →

Louisville Cardinal Short Shots

Baseball, Basketball, Football, Softball, Sports, Track & Field

So I’m standing in line at the grocery on the first day of the weekend, and the clerk asks if I have anything fun planned for the holiday?

“Errands. Maybe some music,” I reply.

At which point the fellow next to me in line says, “Post something at CardChron.”

Fortunately he didn’t seem to be one of the regulars, an antagonist whose vitriol would indicate I wouldn’t want to be meeting them out in public. He was a good guy.

“It’s that time of year, when there’s not a lot of news. Hopefully the baseball team (which had just gone ofer the ACC tourney) will get its act together.”

Anyway, my reader’s wishes are my command. So, here I come with a bunch of little stuff. Most, but not all of which, is Cardinal related. Continue reading Louisville Cardinal Short Shots →

The Coach, His AD, A Provocateur & His Provocation

Basketball, Football, Recruiting, , , , ,

There are some arguments, to which there is essentially no resolution, back and forths that simply get carried on until lungs are depleted of breath.

Until then, the protagonists bray on.

These are common when the issues involved are local in nature and many people have a significant vested emotional interest.

I’ve just returned from my 31st New Orleans JazzFest, the original and sole focus of which from the get go was as a showcase for the indigenous music, food and culture of the Crescent City and Louisiana. But the economic realities of modern times have forced the festival, in order to survive, to feature big name acts with zero connection to the area, but are a draw for enough patrons to keep the Fest financially alive.

In the festival’s chatrooms, purists have railed year around about the situation for more than a decade. The Fest and the arguments proceed.

It was no surprise really that during Derby season, when the focus is usually on whether to buy the blue or pink patched Madras sportcoat, or which hat the size of a beach umbrella to wear on the 1st Saturday in May, that a new brouhaha broke out, when the winning thoroughbred was set down.

But this is Louisville, where basketball is the overriding passion of the populace but for two weeks a year, and the University of Louisville Cardinals are the beloved favorite of the city. Which brings me to the argument that will never end.

Even during Derby time, the fire was stoked yet again. Continue reading The Coach, His AD, A Provocateur & His Provocation →

Red & Black Rants & Raves: Satterfield Hire, Bracketology

Basketball, Football, , ,

OK class, everybody who seven days ago could name Scott Satterfield as the coach of Appalachian State raise your hands?

Liars, liars, pants on fire. You all get 5 points deducted from your semester grade.

That aside, absent any last minute snafus, before sundown, he’ll be the 23d head coach to lead University of Louisville football.

For any number of reasons, it is a most fascinating changeover. Not the least of which is that the guy he replaces, Bobby Petrino, holds the best winning percentage of the bunch. At least since the Cardinals first leader, Amos Alonzo Stagg devotee Lester Larson (Ain’t Wikipedia grand?), went 8-2 in ’12 and ’13.

More salient is the Satterfield’s coaching resumé. A year as QB coach at Toledo. Two years as OC at Florida International. 51-24 as head guy at his alma mater, with only a single losing season, his first. Conference crowns. 3-0 in bowls. Yada, yada, yada. All info now indelibly memorized by Cardinal football aficionados.

So, the question obviously: Is he ready for prime time in the Power 5? Continue reading Red & Black Rants & Raves: Satterfield Hire, Bracketology →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Championship Week

Football, Gaming

Wouldn’t it be boffo if all the leagues were choosing a CFP participant this weekend.

Power 5. Group of 5. Add two at large teams. 12 schools total. Seed four. Or, even better 6 at large teams. 16 total.

Still don’t understand how it’s OK at second level and not at first? Sigh.

Anyway. That pontification helped me hold off, for a few moments anyway, admitting I regressed last weekend, hitting only two of five correctly. UK and UCF came through. Michigan, West Virginia and Washington State let me, and their fans, down.

It’s been that kind of up and down campaign. Yet I’m still way above .500, at 39-26 for the year. And ever optimistic that the picks below are the correct ones. Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Championship Week →

Louisville CardFile: Kentucky

Football,

Bookstore Billy has always been ambivalent about the U of L/ UK football rivalry.

He was born in Wisconsin, where he toiled as a tight end for his HS team, nicknamed the Cheesemakers, sharing a mouthpiece with his TE cohort. In various chatrooms, he’s known as Packer or Badger Billy.

He has a degree from UK, where he developed an affinity to the Wildcats, and in some venues calls himself Wildcat Willie.

Yet he lived most of his adult life in Louisville, where his pigskin allegiance shifted to the Cardinals, and was a Louisville season ticket holder for decades until he moved south. Though he never totally abandoned some loyalty to UK.

So, with competing fealties, he always hated this football game, and, inveterate football lover that he was and remains, essentially ignored rivalry day and was grateful when it was over. Last evening during this year’s edition of the “battle,” he was at his five year old granddaughter’s birthday bash.

Which doesn’t mean he was unmindful of the action at Cardinal Stadium.

BB likes to make the occasional wager, laying down a few dinero here and there with his neighborhood barkeep. Continue reading Louisville CardFile: Kentucky →

Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XIII

Football, Gaming

Count me among the many members of the punditocracy who have misunderestimated the Central Florida Knights. A/K/A in some circles as the UCF Knights.

Yeah, sure, they’ve won oh so many in a row, on a collision course with a second undefeated campaign in a row. But, you know, whom have they beaten?

OK, #7 Auburn last year in the Peach Bowl, but really, any other foe of substance?

Other than sneaky good Temple and ACC Coastal leading Pitt?

Well, yes, Cincy in Saturday Night Prime Time.

Which caught me by surprise, and resulted in my only prognosticatory miscue last weekend, because Notre Dame slaughtered Syracuse as I predicted, Kentucky survived Middle Tennessee, NC State had no problems with the Cardinals, and previously 2-8 UCLA upended Southern Cal, A/K/A USC.

Central was quick to the ball, hit hard and remains innovative on O. If only there were an eight team playoff, so they could get a chance to defend the Knights national championship for real.

Sigh.

Anyway, I was 4-1 for last weekend, improving my season mark to 37-23, heading into rivalry weekend, where there are a lot more questions to be answered than whether Urban Meyer’s heath and well being can survive the tension of a Wolverine visit to the Horseshoe?

Here are some of the answers in advance: Continue reading Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Prognostications: Week XIII →